Marketing

New York City -- Darden Restaurants plans to roughly double the size of LongHorn Steakhouse during the next 10 years. 

Speaking at Barclay’s Retail & Restaurants Conference in New York City, Darden president and COO Drew Madsen said LongHorn Steakhouse, Olive Garden and Seasons 52 would help drive the company’s growth going forward. Darden want to expand LongHorn Steakhouse, which currently has some 345 locations, to 600 to 800 units over the next decade.

Austin, Texas -- T. Stacy & Associates, who has been involved with some of Austin’s most iconic buildings, announced that it will reconfigure street-level space in its headquarters building at 823 Congress Avenue to a size and quality sufficient to attract a major retailer and that it has begun an aggressive search to find the “perfect tenant.”

Issaquah, Wash. -- Costco Wholesale Corp. said Tuesday that its board of directors has approved a $4 billion share buyback program. The company also raised its quarterly dividend by 17% to 24 cents, up from 20.5 cents.

The share buyback program expires in April 2015 and replaces a previous plan set to expire in July which had $800 million remaining.

Herndon, Va. -- Jacksonville, Fla.-based Regency Centers said that it has leased space at Village Center at Dulles, located in Herndon, Va., to Noodles & Co.

The 3,167-sq.-ft. store is slated to open this summer, and brings the center to 98% leased.

The 308,000-sq.-ft. shopping center is anchored by Shoppers Food Warehouse, Staples and Gold’s Gym, and also includes Starbucks, Chuck E. Cheese, Subway, GNC, State Farm and The UPS Store.

Seattle -- REI (Recreational Equipment, Inc.), announced plans to open a new store in Greenville, S.C., this fall. It will be the company’s first location in Asheville, N.C.

The one-story, approximately 22,000-sq.-ft. store will include a bike shop for quick assemblies and repairs, and a seasonal gear rental department for customers looking to test new activities. It will also feature a community space for REI and its local partners to hold outdoor-related classes, presentations and events.

Philadelphia -- Destination Maternity Corp. announced the hiring of Chris Daniel as its president, effective June 1.

Daniel will report directly to Ed Krell, CEO, and will have responsibility for all merchandising, design, marketing, visual, sourcing and branding functions of the company. In connection with the hiring of Daniel, Krell, who held the additional title of president on a temporary basis since the departure of the company's former president, will relinquish that title.

New York City -- Big Lots, which plans to open 90 stores this year, has made two key merchandising moves to facilitate its planned growth.

The retailer has hired former Sears merchandising executive Doug Wurl to serve as its executive VP merchandising. He assumes responsibilities previously held by John Martin, who was named executive VP administration. In his new role, Martin will have responsibility for store operations and human resources.

New York City -- Wal-Mart Stores is making progress bringing items and shoppers back to its U.S. stores, president and CEO Mike Duke said Tuesday at the Barclays Capital analyst conference in New York City. 

Duke noted that improving the chain’s U.S. same-store sales remains its top priority. He said the chain is on its way to having the right assortment.